<h2>Name</h2>
<p>
This Surah takes its name from v. 9 in which the word (<em>al-kahf</em>) occurs.
</p>
<h2>Period of Revelation</h2>
<p>
This is the first of those Surahs which were sent down in the third
stage of Prophethood at Makkah. We have already divided the life of
the Holy Prophet at Makkah into four stages in the Introduction to
Chapter VI. According to that division the third stage lasted from the
fifth to the tenth year of Prophethood. What distinguishes this stage
from the second and the fourth stages is this. During the second stage
the Quraish mainly resorted to ridiculing, scoffing, threatening,
tempting, raising objections and making false propaganda against the
Holy Prophet and his followers in order to suppress the Islamic
Movement. But during the third stage they employed the weapons of
persecution, man handling and economic pressure for the same purpose.
So much so that a large number of the Muslims had to emigrate from
Arabia to Habash, and those who remained behind were besieged in
Shi'ib Abi Talib along with the Holy Prophet and his family. To add to
their misery, a complete social and economic boycott was applied
against them. The only redeeming feature was that there were two
personalities, Abu Talib and Hadrat Khadijah, whose personal influence
had been conducive to the support of two great families of the Quraish.
However, when in the tenth year of Prophethood these two persons died,
the fourth stage began with such revere persecutions as forced the
Holy Prophet and all his Companions to emigrate from Makkah. 
</p>
<p>
It appears from the theme of the Surah that it was revealed at the
beginning of the third stage when in spite of persecutions and
opposition, migration to Habash had not yet taken place. That is why
the story of "<em>Ashab-i-Kahf</em>" (the Sleepers of the Cave) has been
related to comfort and encourage the persecuted Muslims and to show
them how the righteous people have been saving their Faith in the past.
</p>
<h2>Subject and Topics</h2>
<p>
This Surah was sent down in answer to the three questions which the
<em>mushriks</em> of Makkah, in consultation with the people of the Book, had
put to the Holy Prophet in order to test him. These were: (1) Who were
"the Sleepers of' the Cave" ? (2) What is the real story of Khidr? and
(3) What do you know about Zul- Qarnain? As these three questions and
the stories involved concerned the history of the Christians and the
Jews, and were unknown in Hijaz, a choice of these was made to test
whether the Holy Prophet possessed any source of the knowledge of the
hidden and unseen things. Allah, however, not only gave a complete
answer to their questions but also employed the three stories to the
disadvantage of the opponents of Islam in the conflict that was going
on at that time at Makkah between Islam and un-belief:
</p>
<OL>
<p>
<LI>The questioners
were told that "the Sleepers of the Cave" believed in the same
doctrine of <em>Tauhid</em> which was being put forward in the Quran and that
their condition was similar to the condition of the persecuted Muslims
of Makkah. On the other hand, the persecutors of the Sleepers of the
Cave had behaved in the same way towards them as the disbelievers of
the Quraish were behaving towards the Muslims. Besides this, the
Muslims have been taught that even if a Believer is persecuted by a
cruel society, he should not bow down before falsehood but emigrate
from the place all alone, if need be, with trust in God. Incidentally
the disbelievers of Makkah were told that the story of the Sleepers of
the Cave was a clear proof of the creed of the Hereafter, for this
showed that Allah has the power to resurrect anyone He wills even
after a long sleep of death as He did in case of the Sleepers of the
Cave. 
</p>
<p>
<LI>The story of the Sleepers of the Cave has also been used to warn
the chiefs of Makkah who were persecuting the small newly formed
Muslim Community. At the same time, the Holy Prophet has been
instructed that he should in no case make a compromise with their
persecutors nor should he consider them to be more important than his
poor followers. On the other hand, those chiefs have been admonished
that they should not be puffed up with the transitory life of pleasure
they were then enjoying but should seek after those excellences which
are permanent and eternal. 
</p>
<p>
<LI>The story of Khidr and Moses has been
related in such a way as to supply the answer to the question of the
disbelievers and to give comfort to the Believers as well. The lesson
contained in this story is this "You should have full faith in the
wisdom of what is happening in the Divine Factory in accordance with
the will of Allah. As the reality is hidden from you, you are at a
loss to understand the wisdom of what is happening, and sometimes if
it appears that things are going against you, you cry out, 'How and
why has this happened'. The fact is that if the curtain be removed
from the "unseen", you would yourselves come to know that what is
happening here is for the best. Even if some times it appears that
something is going against you, you will see that in the end it also
produces some good results for you. 
</p>
<p>
<LI>The same is true of the story of
Zul-Qarnain for it also admonishes the questioners, as if to say, "0
you vain chiefs of Makkah you should learn a lesson from Zul-Qarnain.
Though he was a great ruler, a great conqueror and the owner of great
resources, yet he always surrendered to his Creator, whereas you are
rebelling against Him even though you are insignificant chieftains in
comparison with him. Besides this, though Zul-Qarnain built one of the
strongest walls for protection, yet his real trust was in Allah and
not in the "wall". He believed that the wall could protect him against
his enemies as long as it was the will of Allah and that there would
be crack and holes in it, when it would be His will : whereas you who
possess only insignificant fortified abodes and dwellings in
comparison with him, consider yourselves to be permanently safe and
secure against all sorts of calamities." 
</p>
</OL>
<p>
While the Quran turned the
tables on the questioners who had tried to "expose" the Holy Prophet,
in the end of the Surah the same things have been reiterated that were
stated at its beginning: "<em>Tauhid</em> and the Hereafter are absolutely true
and real and for your own good you should accept these doctrines, mend
your ways in accordance with them and live in this world with this
conviction that you are accountable to Allah: otherwise you shall ruin
your life and all your doings shall be set at naught."
</p>

